Jim Roy adds golf instruction to resume

Peter Chen / The Post-StandardJim Roy, who qualified for the Champions Tour on his first attempt last year, has added golf instruction to his resume as he works toward regaining his tour card.

Syracuse’s Jim Roy, who qualified for and played on the Champions Tour last year, is adding golf instructor to his resume as he continues to try to make his way back to the PGA Tour’s senior circuit.

Roy, 51, said this week that he will be providing individual, small group, corporate and playing lessons at Timber Banks golf course this season and also will help the course’s head pro, Kevin Savage, conduct clinics once or twice a month. The first of those is planned next month with two long-game clinics on May 7 and two short-game clinics May 14. (Call Roy at 727-0733 or the course at 635-8800 if you’re interested).

“This is something that I’ve had an interest in for a long time but never pursued it because I’ve always had other things going on,” said Roy, who sandwiched a long, successful amateur career between stints on the PGA Tour in 1983 and the Champions Tour last year. “Now that I’m committing myself to golf full time, the time is right to get involved in teaching.”

Although he has not formally taught as a paid professional before, Roy said he has helped many players with their games over the years. Coupled with his experience of playing golf at the highest level and working with such top-ranked teachers as Oak Hill’s Craig Harmon, Roy said he believes he can offer valuable advice.

“A lot of times what makes a teacher good is not necessarily their knowledge but how they can communicate it,” he said.

In addition to teaching, Roy said he will continue to play, entering several more Champions Tour qualifiers in hopes of making it into tournaments as a non-exempt player. He played in three qualifiers over the winter without success. Roy also plans to enter local qualifiers for the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open before preparing for Champions Tour Q School in the fall.

“Right now, I plan on going back to the Champions Tour qualifying tournament,” said Roy, who lost his playing card last year by finishing outside the top-30 on the money list. “But I’m very excited about this new opportunity.”